Electronic Sonata For Souls Loved By Nature - George Russell

Electronic Sonata For Souls Loved By Nature
George Russell
Flying Dutchman - FD 10124
Distributed by Atco Records
1971

This album can be had by the purchase digital download. So I will not be posting a sample. The good news is that the entire album can be had, as of this posting, for $1.78. Heck, I might even buy an online copy myself because this copy I bought off ebay listed as VG+... is no where near that condition. I also would say the cover is not VG+...

Any whoooo... the one Amazon review is a good one. But the reviewer claims that "...it's a very challenging listen likely to completely wear you out." I dunno... in a good way? This is avant-grade but there is still plenty of rhythm in the "Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization" (that term came from the liner notes) to carry you through the piece without a lot of work on your part.

I love the record because it is dense in sound, rich with mood and sort of spaced out at times (the science fiction touches always get me).

Joe Harnell And His Orchestra

Who Am I

Joe Harnell And His Orchestra
Kapp Records KL 1339
1963

Solid space age light pop album.

Side 1

Hud
More
I Only Have Eyes For You
Once In A Lifetime
In The Still Of The Night
The Dawn Of Love

Side 2

Sukiyaki
If Ever I Would Leave You
Harlem Nocturne
Who Am I
Come Away With Me
Dancing In The Dark

Tops In Pops

Danny Boy

Tops In Pops
Ultraphonic
5020K

Here we have a completely ridiculous pre-printed cover with track titles poorly printed at the top. There are no brass or marching band tunes on the record (I suspected as much from the track list).

The song covers aren't horrible and Danny Boy is pretty cool!

The Theme From Ben Casey And Other Great TV Shows

Theme From The Hawaiian Spectacular

The Theme From Ben Casey And Other Great TV Shows
Diplomat DS 2269

Studio group or tracks collected from a variety of sources. No credits. Pretty lame...

Side 1

Theme From Ben Casey
Theme From Cheyenne
Theme From The Late Show
Theme From Arthur Murray's TV Party
Theme From The French Review

Side 2

Theme From Dr. Kildare
Theme From Victory At Sea
Theme From The Danny Thomas TV Show
Theme From The Alfred Hitchcock TV Show
Theme From The Hawaiian Spectacular

Soundstage Spectacular - Terry Baxter

To Sir With Love

Soundstage Spectacular
The Columbia Soundstage Orchestra Conducted By Terry Baxter
Columbia P2S 5284
1969 CBS Direct Marketing Services

Here's one of those albums that most collectors leave in the thrift bin. But I thought covers of 2001: A Space Odyssey, a tune from Barbarella and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Theme might be interesting. I also remembered buying a Terry Baxter three record boxed easy listening set that featured a few wild pop tune covers including a cover of Whole Lotta Love.

This record is fun light pop/easy with weird synth bridges between a few songs that don't seem to have any place in the record.

Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center

Otto Luening: Gargoyles

Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center
Columbia MS 6566
1961

Out of print and available entirely online, so I'll post a sample here. I searched long and hard to find this album published somewhere as a CD or by the digital/purchase/download. Why? Because apparently this is an early work created, in part on a RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer delivered to the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center in 1959. The Mark II was built to suit Ussachevsky and Babbit (artists credited on the back cover of this LP). And many luminaries in the field of electronic/avant-grade music have connections to the Center. So the recording seems to have historical value and... well... the music is just damn cool, therefore I thought I might find a reissue.

I personally like the older university electronic recordings because there is a retro science fiction vibe to them. Also, the earlier work is more likely to feature some "natural" sound. I enjoy the blend of the electronic and "real" instruments. Of course, soundtrack composers are influenced by works like this which is why I think I respond to them the way I do.

About My Music Blogs

There are (almost) no links on my blog that allow for the download of entire albums.

If you don't see an audio sample posted under the image of the album cover the reason is that the album (at the time of the posting) can be found for sale on CD and or by digital download. Ownership of the material may still be questionable but I always err on the side of caution when dealing with rights.

I've received email from relatives who are happy that their family members haven't been forgotten and from folks who enjoy the more obscure recordings I share online. This blog is for those folks and is not a vehicle to distribute entire works in a wholesale fashion to avoid copy protection.

I own the record posted and the cover image is my scan of that record. I set out to make my blogs an introduction to the works I have collected and I hope that, once your interest is perked, that you can find a copy for your own collection.

With all that said, I do try to provide family members with digital files who no longer have a copy of the original record and or to folks who are more throughly researching a particular artist. But you need to email me and give me some reason to help you out. Even in those cases be forewarned that I sometimes don't file entire records digitally and, due to the way I have to store records, it is almost impossible for me to locate any one album without great effort.

I do apologize to everyone else who has been looking long and hard for a recording. I do my best to try and help anyway I can, but I can't respond to all of the requests I've receive.

Music To Strip By Gentleman Jim And The Palace Pit Orchestra

Temptation

Music To Strip By Gentleman Jim And The Palace Pit Orchestra
Burlesque Party Fun At Home
Alshire S-5150

This record, while not total lounge sleaze, seems closer to me to the budget basement grind fare that you may have heard at an "old fashion" strip club. There are also a few really "upscale" tunes like the sample I posted above.

Info about downloads and my blog.

Ann Corio Presents How To Strip For Your Husband

Ann Corio Presents How To Strip For Your Husband
Music To Make Marriage Merrier
Orchestra Conducted By Sonny Lester
Roulette SR 25186
1962

Someone is selling a CD online that features this LP and the follow up album "More" How To Strip... And even though Corio passed in 1999 you can find a website promoting her work. So I think that I'll skip posting a sample.

This is just a guess, but I think that this project was arranged by Lester and Roulette and Corio's name was added to help sell records. Strangely... why didn't Roulette use a photo of Corio on the cover? Now the record did come with an "instruction" booklet. The copy I found had been stripped of the book... so I can't say if her likeness appeared on that piece.

The music is an uneven mix of standard big band bump and grind and, thankfully a few more interesting and exotic tunes.

Music To Strip By - Bob Freeman

Flamingo

Music To Strip By
Bob Freeman
Surprise 101

This obscure album originally came with a real "G" string on the cover. Notches were cut on both sides to hold the underwear in place. I was able to find an image of the original cover. Which also demonstrates that the album was released in stereo.

Strip Blues

This is bump and grind music... but the sound is not as "sleazy" lounge as it could be. And a few tunes even rise above the hammering drum beat to play more like a 60s private eye TV track.

Fun Music For A Strip Tease Party - Bald Bill Hagan And His Trocaderons

Koochie Galore

Fun Music For A Strip Tease Party
Bald Bill Hagan And His Trocaderons
Somerset SF-27200
1967

Great cover and the tracks are OK for a budget record even though there really isn't any lounge "bump and grind" sleaze on the vinyl.

James Bond Thrillers - The Film Festival Orchestra

Dr. No

Music From The Spy Who Loved Me & Other James Bond Thrillers
As Performed By The Film Festival Orchestra
Springboard SPB-4079
1977

Somewhat obscure budget Bond album featuring a studio group doing covers of many of your favorite "spy" tunes. The first track features a female soloist for some reason. Once that moment has passed, the remainder of the album is all instrumental. The tracks aren't stellar 70s spy/secret agent tunes, but as easy listening goes the arrangements are inventive enough to hold you interest. Dr. No is the stand out track. The engineering/sound (Tom Owen) is very good.

Ti-Toto

Sur Mars

Ti-Toto (Titoto - Gilles Latulippe)
Franco Elite (Canada)
6908

Obscure album featuring a fun cover photo.

I was able to find the actor from the name provided only on the label. Here is a link to Gilles Latulippe's wiki page.

Nuclear War 1984? - Robin Armstrong

The Signs Of The Zodiac Interpreted

Robin Armstrong - Professional Astrologer
Narration And Spoken Word Concept David Marsden
Synthesizer Realization - John Mills-Cockell
Kangi Records - Willowdale, Ontario
K-RAR-101
1976

This album features a lurid cover and promises to "shock"... but the pressing is screwed up. If it wasn't for what appears to be the correct label on the record I would have thought the wrong LP was in the jacket. What Kangi appears to have done is to press the "A" side twice...

Unfortunately, the A side is some boring description of the Zodiac Signs and NOT the rant about the Nuclear War expected in 1984. Damn it...

Apparently Armstrong failed to predict that his own record was going to be totally f**ked up... and further more... failed to marshall the forces of The Zodiac to force Kangi to repress the run!

Lovely photo on the back cover is still worth the price of admission.

Love Token - The Mystic Mood Orchestra

Love Token
The Mystic Mood Orchestra
Produced and Directed by Brad Miller
Warner Bros. Records - BS 2595
1972

Here is another find Mystic Moods album I found today. This one is also available for purchase/download, so I will not be posting a sample.

This is the classic blend of environmental sounds and the unique brand of easy you will come to enjoy if you collect a few Moods albums. More good stuff in a long line of great light pop/easy listening.

Singing While Dancing The Cha Cha - Norman Leyden

What Is This Thing Called Love

Singing While Dancing The Cha Cha
Chorus and Orchestra under the direction of Norman Leyden
RCA Camden CAL-559
1960

There is an interesting story (maybe just to me)... behind this album. There is a charity store located next to a record store that I visit frequently. On several occasions I've found some good stuff in the charity shop even though picks have been few and far between. I assumed the reason was because the charity shop was located next to a record store so collectors were picking the place clean.

I found this record at the charity shop. It's not a super record, but still the album is fun space age and worth collecting. The point to the story is, that I took the record in with me while I went to the record store next door. I was surprised when the owner saw it, laughed and noted that he just "donated" the album to the charity shop.

So I was bought an album that had been donated to the charity shop because the record store owner thought that he couldn't sell the LP. To extend the story, whenever I take a stack of records to a record shop to trade or sell I almost always hear something like "All I buy is classic rock, because that is what sells." Another shop in town stop taking my gospel cast-offs because "We can't sell them."

Curiously, they can sell them... to me, but maybe not at the turn over rate they sell classic rock. Plus, they have trouble distinguishing from "good" or "interesting" gospel and "space age" and the more run-of-the-mill stuff.

One shop owner even told me that he had thrown out some "cruise ship" records because they were "so bad".  I specifically look for cruise ship records...

I guess what this all boils down to is that many recordings that I find "collectible" are still being thrown away... probably by folks off the street after being rejected by the shop owner, or at best... making their way back through the food chain via a charity shop. Strange thing... collecting and what type of music is valued.

Awakening - The Mystic Moods

Awakening
The Mystic Moods
Warner Bros. Records - BS2690
1973

Here's another album in The Mystic Moods franchise. You can find this one at the usual outlet MP3 purchase/download so I will not be posting a sample. Sorry!

I have yet to pick up a Mystic Moods LP I didn't enjoy and this is another example. Early Moods album experimented with environmental sounds blended with easy listening. This album doesn't include that "environmental" touch. The album plays, less like an "easy" concept album in that the tracks don't blend from one into the next. This project plays more like a "standard" LP as in, the tracks are more distinctive, one from another. The vibe is an easy/groove/funk/space thing. A unique blend and a fantastic recording.